A theoretical model of the relationship between occupational training and style of social interaction, in terms of task vs. socio-emotional means and goals of education, was developed, operationalized, and applied to 148 faculty and graduate students in four departments of a large public university. The general suggestive hypothesis, examined through case studies, was that the disciplines with the reputedly more objective ideologies (tentatively represented in descending order by mechanical engineering, physiology, anthropology, and philosophy) will foster a graduate student-faculty relationship that is higher in task orientation, but lower in socio-emotional orientation. Two more specific subhypotheses were directly examined with pilot study questionnaire data: (1) If the members of a department consider either task or Lsocio-emotional means of education more essential, they will find that the actual means used in their department are either task or socio-emotionally oriented, respectively. (2) If the members of a department consider either task or socio-emotional goals of education more essential, they will find that the actual goals attained in their departments are either task or socio-emotionally oriented, respectively. Although further study with a larger sample is recommended, it is suggested that the future significance of this study could be its pointing the way to educational relevance over alienation and unrest on campus. (Author/LBH)